I just lead this thing today for the first time in a long time. After the pin, the next piece of gear is a #2 BD about eight feet up past the pin. Another good body length above is a solid blue metolious tcu, followed closely by a solid green Camalot. Anyway, I could think of a handful of tens that would be a much better introduction to leading 5.10 than this thing. It deffinately has a touch of spice. A great line and one of the best around for the grade.

I'm going to have to say this is an R rated lead. If you don't use the pin for your first piece, your first piece of gear is about 5 feet below it and is the smallest C3 (000). After that the pro is spaced out but very good. And the 5.10 definitely stays with you after the crux and it is not until about 50 feet that the 5.7 (if that) kicks in. But, I have to agree with everyone else... this route is definitely 4 stars for consistency and quality of quintessential Devil's Lake moves.

Out of curiosity, Andy, after the pin did you go right and join Vivisection's upper seam or move left into that crack system? When I did it I went left (much easier), but not before getting good gear at the bottom of the right seam.

I seem to remember soloing this one day in about 1981.I just started up it just bouldering out the start and the next thing I knew I was about 50 feet off the ground and old Bill Russell starts hassling me from vivesection. Pretty funny as Prunes Immeadiatly tells Bill he will be off belay ifn he doesnt shut up.

Ed, Nice to see you made it.....i.e. You are still alive! Yes those were some fun solo's back then. You were one of the few who would sack up and solo this with me back then. Mondays at lake were awesome cause there was usually no one else there. Look me up sometime, I am "living the dream " in Eldo. Peace and f-nes Steve S.